Dry bone

Sabine Zimmer <sab.zim [at] web__de> writes

>We have here a larger amount of bone (human and animal). ...
>...
>Can anyone experience in conservation of
>dry bone can give me some hints how the bones could be treated
>best:  which preservative and in what concentration, which solvent
>and how to apply (e.g. brush or soak)?

It depends on what the bones might be used for.  For simple
consolidation I would use firstly a 5% Paraloid B-72 solution in
acetone for deep penetration followed, after about one hour, by a
10% solution of the  same.

I would use a polypropylene or nylon pipette (brushing will not
penetrate deeply enough) and avoid soaking as sometimes dry bones
can actually  come apart in such a solution. If the bones need to be
sectioned later to examine Haversian systems, the Paraloid can be
reversed in acetone as before by brushing which will remove surface
polymer without causing the bone section to come apart.

Simon Moore MIScT, FLS, ACR
Conservator of Natural  Sciences
20 Newbury Street
Whitchurch RG28 7DN, UK
+44 1256 892335


                                  ***
                  Conservation DistList Instance 24:15
                 Distributed: Monday, September 6, 2010
                       Message Id: cdl-24-15-002
                                  ***